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How little did we know
In memory of one of the true gentlemen of rallying -
Jimmy Girvan
To view the video that was screened at the funeral please click here.
We remember like it was yesterday, the day we first saw his face.
We remember his smile so vividly, his confidence and grace.
How little did we know, we could not comprehend,
That he would touch our lives by becoming a rallying friend.
He was everyone’s buddy, and friends aplenty for all to see,
But not ma ny were like Jimmy, nor had the impact he had on me,
For nothing was any trouble, and on his face a smile would grow
There's just no way we’d considered his loss, but how little did we know.
He was always very excited, like a boy with a brand new toy,
Ready for the rally, giving it all in the Scooby he called Moy,
How could someone drive a car like that, it was poetry in motion,
But how little did we know, his loss would cause such emotion.
But as mortals upon this earth, our life always has a limit,
And Jimmy just loved his life; and his family were his pivot,
Fiona he held so close and hugged, and Caitlin was his chum.
But how little did we know, his time had almost come,
When difficult moments occur in life, they are often swept aside,
But to have known Jimmy is something to hold with pride,
How little did we know, and we are struggling to understand,
But the impact he had on our world, it has just been oh so grand.
But when you drove we cannot lie, our hearts did pound in our chest,
Cause Jimmy, with eyes a twinklin’ and a soul so full of zest
You enlightened our lives with passion, your desire to win so clear.
But how little did we know, that we'd miss you’re happy cheer.
Even if only memories remain, and such days are now long past.
Those moments were great and happy, and your generosity unsurpassed
They will live with us in our hearts, an experience as never before.
How little do we know right now, how much you meant and more!
Bill Sturrock
4 October 2010
To view the video that was screened at the funeral please click here.
2nd September 2010
Gymkhana 3 a flop?
Well after much publicity surrounding the launch of the next in Ken Block’s Gymkhana series it finally arrived. What a bore it was as well.
The signs were present that this series would get increasingly commercial, indeed the second Gymkhana was titled the “infomercial”. We didn’t mind seeing DC shoes, Subaru and the Crawford performance branding all over the video purely because it never took away from the visual effect of a car being “hooned” around a deserted port.
Well Gymkhana 3 part 1 was a true anti climax. It was a music video for some American artists called The Cool Kids. I may be getting old but it was not even good music. The only soundtrack I want to hear on a Gymkhana video, any video for that matter is engine noise and tyre squeal.
Why is it a flop, I hear you ask? Well Gymkhana 2 has 16million views on you tube; Gymkhana 1 has 7million on the main video and millions more on the ones people have copied. So what about Gymkhana 3 part 1? A week after the launch it has 280,000. That is a poor return based on the fact that all of the gymkhana videos tally to over 70million views.
The only saving grace is that the Gymkhana 3 proper (part 2) will be out soon, question is will this misguided part 1 have any effect on the commercial success of what we all want to see and will it lead to a Gymkhana 4?
3rd August 2010
Sinclair wins Rally of Argyll
August...really? Summer is nearly over and we are well beyond the mid way point in the season. How did that happen!
Last month was the first running of the Rally of Argyll for approximately 15 years and Mull Car Club, with support from others, did a great job. The entry was very healthy for the first running of an event and the stages were well received by the competitors and the SRC observers.
One man set the pace from the start of the event and was never headed. Shaun Sinclair (pictured) on his local event took a deserved win sharing the stage honours throughout the day with Paul Benn who ultimately finished second.
Other notables were Calum Mackenzie who finished seventh overall and first in class in his MK2 rocket as well as Grant Inglis who finished first in class 2 with the Honda Civic. You can read the full report on Jaggy Bunnets website.
6th July 2010
Bogie takes Championship lead
The Scottish Rally based in Dumfries was won by David Bogie which catapults him into the lead of the Championship. With three victories this season David looks to be favourite to retain his SRC crown this year.
Dust proved a problem for a lot of the competitors with Andy Horne having to stop in stage as a result. Jock Armstrong notched up his second DNF of the season which means his Championship hopes are looking slim.
Andy Horne has dropped to second in the Championship after the Scottish but it is still a fantastic performance in the 6R4. Who would have thought that consistency would be the main strength to his title bid after last season? Andy is one of only two drivers in the whole Championship to score overall points on every round so far this season.
Next up for the SRC is the Speyside Stages rally. Will David Bogie make it a hat trick of Speyside wins, the first to do so, or will Andy Horne get his second win 12 years after his first?
1st June 2010
Bogie takes his second win
David Bogie wrapped up his second win in the SRC this year with victory on the Jim Clark Reivers rally on Sunday. It took a while for David to get into his stride in the WRC Focus and it was not until the 5th stage that he was properly able to exploit the technology difference between him and his rivals. The first four stages, although won by Bogie, were close run things with Euan Thorburn getting within a couple of seconds of the WRC time on two stages and Paul Mackinnon only missing out on a stage win by a tenth of a second.
Douglas Brydon had a strong showing running as high as third until mechanical difficulties halted him. Paul Mackinnon had to retire from second place. Non SRC registered Euan Thorburn finished second with Jock Armstrong third alongside stand in co-driver Christine Sanderson. You can read the full story on the SRC website here.
3rd May 2010
Bogie Bags Granite
Image Courtesy of www.lindsayphotosport.co.uk
Three different winners on three rounds of Hankook Scottish Rally Championship so far, and not necessarily the names you would expect to see, although it was only a matter of time before reigning champions David Bogie and Kevin Rae did the business. That they did last Saturday on the Station Garage Mitsubishi Granite City Rally. Vintage stuff, but by crackey they had to work for it.
Jock Armstrong and Kirsty Riddick were second after a steady run while Mike Faulkner and Peter Foy’s third place was secured, but only after a visit to the grocer’s shop!
Fair weather, but cold, greeted the 118 crews at the rally start in Aboyne with the 2WD cars up to 2 litres (8 valves) running ahead of the 16 valve 2 litre cars and the 4WD classes. That meant dust of course, and yet this strange wee nation of ours still had snow in places in the deeper parts of the forest!
Results:
1 David Bogie/Kevin Rae (Mitsubishi EVO9) 41m 26s
2 Jock Armstrong/Kirsty Riddick (Subaru Impreza) 41m 43s
3 Mike Faulkner/Peter Foy (Mitsubishi EVO6) 42m 00s
4 David Wilson/Drew Sturrock (Mitsubishi Lancer) 42m 24s
5 Alick Jerr/Neil Shanks (Subaru Impreza) 42m 36s
6 Paul Benn/Richard Cooke (Ford Focus WRC) 42m 50s
7 Andy Horne/Jim Howie (DAM 4100) 42m 51s
8 Barry Groundwater/Daniel Paterson (Mitsubishi EVO9) 43m 12s
9 Wayne Sisson/David MacFadyen (Mitsubishi EVO9) 43m 26s
10 Craig McMiken/Christine Sanderson (Mitsubishi EVO9) 43m 39s
Yer auld pal, Jaggy Bunnet, read the full report here; www.jaggybunnet.co.uk.
6th April 2010
Sinclair wins Borders
The second round of this year’s Hankook Scottish Championship was one of high attrition. Many drivers succumbed to the treacherously wet and slittery stages. Even though it dried up a wee bit in the afternoon, it was still like Dancing on Grease underfoot and undertyre.
Cock o the North was young Dave Weston. The Subaru driver was in his element in the slippery conditions, but he’s got no fear that boy. Taking his best ever rally result was Shaun Sinclair in 2nd place overall, but he takes maximum Hankook points as Weston hasn’t registered in our own national series. Slightly off the pace all day was David Bogie who has registered but was using this event purely as test exercise ahead of the British Championship opener in Wales. He was messing about with suspension settings and spring’s all day and still wasn’t happy at the rally finish.
Wayne Sisson was happy with a finish let alone 4th place after his woopsie on the Snowman and Alick Kerr in 5th place was almost wishing for snow again after his superb result in Inverness. Leaving the Borders leading the Championship certainly made up for the lack of snow.
The results of the Brick & Steel Border Counties Rally have opened up the Hankook title chase. First round winner Jock Armstrong failed to score when is gearbox broke on the first test of the day and last year’s runner-up, Mike Faulkner broke his diff. Jim Carty lost hydraulic pressure on his front diff and was doubtful about finishing while Steve Petch called it a day when the Hyundai’s subframe broke on the fourth test. David Wilson went off in SS3 and that was his rally run.
Steve Bannister was top 2WD finisher while Frank Kelly’s hopes took a nosedive in Kielder Ditch. If it hadn’t been for 9 big burly blokes there he would have stayed, but they got him out although he later retired while Jonny Greer was plagued with a persistent misfire and retired before the finish.
Winner of the 1600 section Carl Tuer summed it up best: “It was lethal. I couldn’t get the MG into top gear on the long 4th stage. The road seemed to have a crown in the middle of it after the forestry lorries had been through and we were slipping off one side, then the other. Lethal!”
Just glad to finish was Stewart Davidson in the Proton: “We pushed on in the long 4th test and it was just nice to finish a Border for a change without any indiscretions.”
Yer auld pal, Jaggy Bunnet, Abbey Place, Jedburgh.
2nd February 2010
Snowman tyre dispensation
We are only a few weeks away from the Hankook Scottish Rally Championship opener and the stages are covered in snow. As a result the Championship organisers and Hankook have issued a dispensation on the tyres eligible for the event. Check the Championship website here for details.
The organisers were in the stages over the weekend to check the route and the snow. The reports coming back are that the stages have varying amounts of snow in them and that they are planning to get a plough into the stages this weekend. A few of the stages had a fresh dusting of snow last week so that will provide some form of grip for those on the right tyres.
A meeting has been scheduled with the Forestry Comission to arrange a suitable time and day to plough the stages. The hope is that this will happen before Bill carries out the route note survey to ensure continuity. We will have more information from the organisers as a result of the meeting with the Commission on Thursday which will allow us to schedule the survey.
Scotmaps are still planning to send all the orders received by this Friday out on the scheduled Tuesday 9th Feb date but please bear with us as this will depend on the ploughing schedule.
So far the event has 68 entries and Scotmaps have only had 27 orders so please remember that we need to receive your order this week in order to despatch your notes on the first available delivery date. Please check back here and our twitter updates for progress reports.
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